Clutch-pencil.



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d'fOHlil' F. Flflldlhm, 0F SM FMMCJISCU, UdlLllFlDRNllh.

tpeolllcatlon of lettera Fatent.

Fatented duly di. third.

application died l une t, lato. aerial Ito. totale.

To all rwhom tm/ay concern."

Be it known that l', donn F; dinners, a

citizen of the lInited States, and a resident l full, clear, concise, and enact description of the saine. The invention relates particularly to a clutch pencil havin automatic retracting ghe worhing end of thek pencil andV e lit longitudinally tol provide jaws 10,

ich maybe forced against a piece of lead thy-means of the clutch sleeve 1l. 'lhe lower form that l consider to be the beat, but it isi.;

means to withdraw clutch within the casing of the thus shield the point of the lead.

ln the specication and the aiiiiened drawings., l illustrate the invention in the to be understood that l vdo not limit myself to such form, because the said invention may' be embodied in other forms., and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description l desire to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be einbodied.

ln the drawings: l

Figure l is a side elevation of a clutch pencil constructed in accordance with this invention. n

Fig. 2- yis a longitudinal sectional view showing the working end of the clutch retracted within the casing of the pencil and the sharpening members in operative position..l

Fig. "3 is a longitudinal sectional View partly in elevation taken on a plane at right angles to the lane of Fig. 2 and showing the clutch in its protracted position.

- Fi a is a transverse section on the plane of l -'-l[l7 of Fig. 3.

vFi 5 is a simular section on the plane of line -V of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View of the clutch means or body, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the pencil casing on the plane of line Vll--lll of Fig. l.

Referring in detail to the ldrawings by numerals, l indicates the body of the pencil which is tubular with its lower end tapered as indicated at 2. A circumferential groove is formed in the body 1- at the upper end of the tapered portion 2 and forms an internal shoulder 3 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Above the shoulder 3 is a band l which carries a pair of oppositely disposed arms 5 to which are attached sharp- A projects through the casing ening members t, which worh within the casing l and which are brought to ether in operative position when theban a is moved downwardly toward the writin end of the ormed` adjacentv the writing end of the casingt l and when permitted spring inwardl to ring their free ends in contact with eac other and close the passage at the writing end of the casing.

d. lead clutch enerally designated d ertende longitudine ly within the casing l and comprises a lead tube 9 having its lower end end'of the sleeve is conical to conform tothe redncefdfend; 2 of the casing l.

- tarder-,that )the lead may he gripped 4hrmlybetireen two points, the jaws 10 are enlargedo'r embossed at points above their terminalsiaaindioated at l2, and therefore when the clutch is forced into the taper of head is rotated relative to the sleeve ll. the

jaws of the clutch will he either clamped into engagement with the lead or released therefrom because of their lon tudinal movement relative to the sleeve. he head la carries at its outer end an eraser 17 secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by the clampin ring l@ shown.

To automatical y retract the worhing end of the clutch into the casing l an expansive helical spring 'i9 is fitted within the Casin 1 and eneircles the clutch. 'lhe lower end oft e spring abuts against the internal shoulder 3 and the upper end engages the flange or shoulder 20 of the clutch. 'lo loch the clutch in its protracted position against the tension of the spring 19, a dog 2l formed on the end of the spring clip 22 is provided. 'lhe terminal of the dog l and engages in circumferentiahy aloclring roove 28 forme with the c utch sleeve. 'lhe spring clip 22 bows outwardly from the pencil and is pivotally secured between the ears 2t by a pivot encil. Spring check or-gage ngers 'l' are' lith ldd

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25. To limit the retractile movement of the clutch relative to the casing l, a shoulder 26 is formed on the sleeve of the clutch between the locking roove 23 and the shoulder 20.

The shou der 26 has a snug running fit within the casing 1 and the dog 21 will engage it to prevent the clutch slipping entirel from the casing. v

With the parts in the position shownrin Fig. 3, the spring 19 is compressed and exerts an upward pressure on the clutch, but the latter is held against relative-movement with respect to the casing 1 by the locking dog 21. To automatically retract the clutch within the casing 1 to shield the point of the lead, the spring clip 22 is pressed inwardly which throws the dog out of engagement with the groove 23, whereupon the clutch will spring upwardly untilthe shoul- .4

der or lian e 26 comes in engagement with the dog. '.lghe pencil is now in a position to allow carryingin the pockets without danger of breaking the point. When the clutch 1s protracted to expose the point of the lead, thedog 21 automatically snaps into engagement with the groove v23 to hold the lead in working positlon.

To reset the lead the clutch is first retracted into the casing 1 whereupon the gage :lingers-" contact with each other and close `the writing end of the encil. The jaws l() are then opened by turning the head 14 relative to the sleeve 11 and the lead will feed downwardly to bring the terminal into engagement with the gag?, ingers. When in this position, the clutc is again tightened and the pencil is ready for writing when the clutch is protracted. The stops or fingers 7 form an important feature of this invention for they guard against the lead slipping entirely from the clutch when it is beingreset. The double grip of the clutch jaws on the piece of lead is another feature of importance since it insures against the lead being broken and against its ,slip ing inwardly due to the pressure brought to ear thereaainst when writing or sharpening.

To s arpen the lead the clutch is retracted as shown in Fig. 2 and the band 4 is slid downwardly causing the sharpening elements to come together. rlhen the clutch is forced downwardly Ato hringthe point of the lead in contact with the sharpening faces of the sharpening elements and rotated causing a grinding action which sharpens the lead. rl`he sharpening surfaces may be either Hat or concave.

To rell the pencil with fresh lead, loosen the clutch and then in its loosened position protract the clutch until its gaging fingers, then insert t e clutch. x

AFrom the foregoing description taken in connection with t e accompanying drawings, it will ,be apparent that l have provided a jaws are pastthe lead and retract Lamentz ead at each resetting of the oint, and having means providing a dou le grip upon the lead. l

I claim:

1. A pencil including a clutch, a casing embracing the clutch, and spring means for retracting the clutch longitudinally of. the casing and means for automatically locking said spring.

' 2. A pencil including a clutch, a casing embracing the clutch, automatic means for locking the clutch in operative position, and spring means for retracting the clutch into inoperative position.

3. A pencil including a lead clutch, a casing embracing said clutch, means for automatically retracting the working end of the clutch within the casing, and opposed spring fingers at the writing end of the casing to check the downward feed of lead from the clutch when the latter is retracted and the lead released. i

4. In a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted within said casing, jaws on said lead clutch for clutching the lead with its point projecting beyond the end of the clutch, means for locking the clutch in position to hold the point of the lead beyond the lower end of said casing, and means for automatically closing'the lead end of said casing when the lead is retracted therein and 1fordgaging Ythe length of the point of the 5. In a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted therein, means for locking the clutch in position to hold the lead polnt beyond the lower end of the casing, means for automatically7 retracting the lead within the casing when said locking means releases said clutch, and means for automatically closing the lead end of the casing when the lead point is retracted therein.

6. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch, operatively mounted therein to project the lead point beyond the end of the casing and to retract the point within the casing, means or loclnng the clutch in position to hold the lead point beyond the lower end of the camfng, jaws on the clutch for clutching the lead when projected and retracted, and forI unclutehing the lead within the casing, a

gage within the casing for gagin the length of the point of the lead when re eased w1thin the casing, and means for sharpening the point of the lead while in the clutch wlthin the casing. y

7. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted therein to project the lead point beyond the end of the casing and to retract the point within the casing, means for locking t e clutch with the lead proammore jected beyond the end of thecasing, automatic means for retracting the lead point within the casing when the holder is released,` jaws on the clutch for clutching the lead when proj ectedy or retracted, and sharpening means amounted in said casing for sharpening tllle lead point while retracted within the casing. f

l8. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted therein to project the lead point beyond the end of the casing and to retract the lead point within the casing, a spring clip, pivoted on said easing, a dog on v said clip for engaging and locking said clutch with the leady point projected beyond the end of said casing, said dog being arranged to snap into engagement with said clutch under the influence o fthe spring action of the clip and to be withdrawn from said clutch when the clip is pressed inwardly on the side of its pivot opposite the dog.

9. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted Within said clutch to project the point of the lead beyond the end of the casing and to retract the lead point within theicasing, a spring pocket clip pigoted on said casing, a dog on said clip, said clutch being provided with an annular groove to be engaged by said dog under the influence of the spring action of said clip, for locking the clutch with the point projected beyond the end of Said casing and for ermitting turning of said clutch, said dog eing arranged on the clip so that when the clip is pressed inwardly at theside of the pivot opposite the dog, the dog will disengagey said groove, a lead Sharpener in the lowerv end of said casing for engaging the lead when retracted withinthecaaing, said clutch ybeingv adapted to. be turned when re'V tracted' to sharpen the lead point.

10. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead, clutch operatively mounted in said casing to project and retract the lead point beyond and within the end-of the casing, said clutch ,comprismg an outer clutch member mounted r within said casing, an inner tubular member slidably mounted Within said outer member, the lower end of said outer member loe ing conical, the inner tubular member being split longitudinally at its lower end, jaws on the lower ends of said split portions of the inner member, a threaded head screwbil ing on the upper end ofsaid outer member and engaging the upper end of said inner member for edecting lrelative longitudinal movement of the inner and 'outer clutch members'when the head is turned in one direction or the other to cause said jaws to.

grip or release the lead.

1l. ln a pencil, a casing, a lead clutch operatively mounted in .said casing to project and retract the lead point beyond and within the end of the casing, said clutch sp it longitudinally at its lower end, jaws on the lower ends of said split portions o the inner member, a threaded head screwing on the upper end of said outer member and engaging the upper end of said-inner member for eecting relative longitudinal movement of the inner and outer clutch members when the head is turned in one directionor the other to cause said jaws to gripor release the lead when the holderv is retracted Within the casing.

lln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 3d day of May, 1916.

' dUllilN B. ZMDARS. lln presence of BALDWIN VALE. 

